Restoring the World's Mangrove Forests

THE QUIET ACHIEVERS Restoring the world’s mangrove forests Martin Atkin Where the ocean meets the shore, where salt water meets fresh, mangroves stand with one foot in the water, one foot on land. “Love them or hate them, we all depend on mangroves and tidal wetlands. They have been the quiet achievers that have somehow adapted to fit among our everyday lives.” Mangroves are one of our best allies in the fight against climate change - yet we are doing nowhere near enough to protect them. THE QUIET ACHIEVERS They live where the ocean meets the shore, Mangroves are one of our best allies in as cyclones and storm surges. Their roots where salt water meets fresh. They stand with the fight against climate change - yet we shelter huge biodiversity of fish, crustaceans one foot in the water, one foot on land. are doing nowhere near enough to protect and shellfish, upon which some 200 million Washed twice a day by the tide, their roots them. “Mangroves have enormous capacity people depend on for their food and lifting them high and proud above the waves, for absorbing and retaining carbon dioxide livelihoods. mangroves protect us from storms, suck up and other greenhouse gases - and that’s most carbon from the atmosphere, provide a safe critical in today’s climate crisis,” says haven for endangered creatures and Professor Benjamin Horton, Director of the “Love them or hate them, we all depend on livelihoods for many millions of people. Earth Observatory of Singapore and co-author mangroves and tidal wetlands,” says Professor of a recent report on the threats to the world’s Norman Duke of James Cook University in Mangroves circle the globe like a blue-green mangroves. Australia. “They have been the quiet mantle. Around 70 species covering more than achievers that have somehow adapted to fit 150,000 km2 in 118 countries fringe tropical “Mangroves are an intriguing, intricate among our everyday lives. Facing the sea and and sub-tropical coastlines from Brazil to ecosystem that allows its trees to adapt to bordering river and stream estuaries, these Australia, from Indonesia to Mozambique. high temperature and salinity levels. But we habitats offer essential services that will be The most common species - Rhizophora could lose almost all mangroves by 2050 if sorely missed when they are further mangle (red mangrove) and Avecennia the current carbon emissions trajectory is diminished.” germinans (black mangrove) - thrive in the not lowered.” ‘harsh space between the tides’ where other plants would die, having evolved over A world without mangroves is a world in countless millennia to cope with low oxygen serious trouble. Not only do they sequester and high salt levels. Their complex root huge amounts of carbon - around four times systems extend like snorkels above the more than rainforests - but they provide water and like anchors below, allowing them natural protection against increasing frequent to both breathe and stabilise themselves. and more intense extreme weather events such The scale of destruction is alarming. The UN The EU also funded a €47 million programme “Losing mangroves is the same as losing your Environment Programme estimates that half in Mozambique, including the restoration of livelihood,” said farmer Dominic Odu. “If the world’s mangrove forests have been lost in nearly 230 hectares of mangroves to protect communities continue to cut and harvest the past 40 years. Urban development, the coastline from storms and erosion. When mangroves at the current rate, soon there deforestation, rising sea levels, industrial Cyclone Idai hit Mozambique in March 2019, won’t be any left. So we decided to replant - aquaculture and erosion have all taken their more than a thousand people died - but it not only the edible mangroves, but the ones toll. Mangroves are highly adaptable, but even could have been far worse without the which are good for protection.” they are struggling to survive this onslaught. mangrove forests. Guyana, Mozambique and the Solomon Small wonder, that protecting and restoring “Ultimately, it’s our mangroves that saved Islands are among more than a dozen mangroves is a top priority for the European us. They are our first line of defence. The countries to benefit from EU-funded Union’s flagship climate change programme, day we don’t have mangroves, I don’t think mangrove restoration projects since 2007. The the Global Climate Change Alliance our city will survive.” benefits are clear, says Professor Horton. (GCCA+). In Guyana, for example, a €4.17 - Manuel de Araújo, Mayor of the coastal “Projects and policies designed to use coastal million programme ran from 2009-2014 city of Quelimane, Mozambique. ecosystems to reduce vulnerability can also integrating awareness raising, research, achieve other societal, environmental, and restoration and community development. Now In the Solomon Islands - one of the nations economic goals. We have a chance to change local women entrepreneurs make and sell most vulnerable to rising sea levels - the way we do things, to create a civilisation mangrove honey, beeswax candles and other mangroves cover 65,000 hectares providing in which the environmental crisis and the products whilst committing to protect the food, jobs and homes for thousands of people. climate emergency are addressed, a forests near their homes. As Agriculture Recognising their important role in disaster civilisation that does not exploit planet Earth Minister Robert Persaud noted, “The efforts to risk reduction, the EU funded projects in five for its own exclusive use, but lives in protect, restore and manage Guyana’s coastal communities including replanting and harmony with it.” mangroves forests efforts will continue long sustainable agro-forestry. after the project has ended.” Damaged mangroves on the south coast of Jamaica - a far cry from the gleaming white beaches and upmarket hotels which lure tourists to the island from all over the world. “You can’t tell the difference JAMAICA - HELPING NATURE TO HELP ITSELF between the natural mangroves and the ones we replanted, which is a Portland Cottage on the south coast of Jamaican coastline - and along with them, the Jamaica is a far cry from the gleaming white livelihoods of some 4,000 residents who rely testament to how well it worked.” beaches and upmarket hotels which lure on fishing. tourists to the island from all over the world. It’s a mainly low-income community where “When Hurricane Ivan struck it washed sand people scratch a living from fishing or and mud between the mangroves, blocking the running mom-and-pop stores where you can channels. That meant the trees died back buy anything from groceries to fishing tackle. because they need to be constantly flushed High unemployment levels and poor with sea water,” says Chalene Roye-Myrie, a infrastructure add to the feeling that this part marine biologist at the Jamaican National of Jamaica, where the vast majority of Environment and Planning Agency. “We had households fall at or below the poverty line, to dredge the channels before we could start has been left behind. replanting and restoration. We had to unblock the channels to allow the area to flush over Portland Cottage is located in the Portland time.” Bight Protected Area - Jamaica’s largest protected area. The people here are used to “The mangroves will not come back by tropical storms - a 2019 survey reported that themselves, they need help.” nearly 90% of the residents had experienced flooding at some time. Eight people were killed and 500 families lost their homes when Hurricane Ivan ripped through in September 2004. The storm also devastated large swathes of the mangrove forests which fringe the Rebuilding homes, roads and other works out at more than US$186 million per Replanting seedlings to cope with Portland infrastructure took priority, and it wasn’t until hectare. The GCCA project replanted a total Bight’s unique conditions was a challenge. GCCA launched its €4.8 million EU-funded of five hectares, representing a total protection “This is an unusual area with high salinity, “ programme in Jamaica in 2010 that work on value of nearly a billion dollars. By 2017, says Chalene. “We collected seedlings from restoring the mangroves really took off. studies showed that half the area had at least the surrounding healthy forests, and now you one mangrove tree for every four square can’t tell which is part is restored and which is “It’s the most successful mangrove restoration metres, and that the height of the trees had the original forest. One of the main reasons project we have ever done so far. You can’t increased to more than three metres. why it has been so successful is that while tell the difference between the natural other restoration projects tend to focus only mangroves and the ones we replanted, which More than 30 locals either volunteered or on replanting, we set out to try and mimic the is testament to how well it worked. The birds were given paid jobs dredging, planting and existing natural mangrove forests.” and the fish are coming back, it’s been a maintaining the mangroves. “The community tremendous success,” says Chalene. has been key to the success - we could not “We’re trying to replicate as far as have done it without them,” Chalene says. possible the existing natural mangroves, Mangroves are also helping to generate extra “You have to understand this is quite a low- not just plant new ones. We wanted the income for the locals in Portland Bight. A income area, it’s not one of the places with a mangroves to replant themselves wetlands and wildlife discovery centre was lot of tourism, they depend on the mangroves. without human intervention - that way built in 2015 to promote ecotourism and We wanted to be inclusive, for them to they are much more sustainable in the wildlife conservation.

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